Antichrist

By now, it’s highly likely that you’ve had at least one aspect of Lars Von Trier’s twisted parable Antichrist spoiled for you. And it’s true: the film’s moments of explicit sex, violence and absurdity (my favourite is the rotting, talking fox) could take up hours of discussion on their own. Still, a year after I first saw the film at the 2009 Atlantic Film Festival, it’s the tone of the film that lingers most: nihilistic, unhinged, obtuse and, at times, strangely, beautifully pastoral. And I remember Charlotte Gainsbourg’s remarkable performance as a grieving mother. She exudes a disquieting energy through her despair that makes the film’s final moments all the more bewildering.